As I have stated, the legislature authorized the governor to accept the services of ten additional regiments.  I had charge of mustering these regiments into the State service.  They were assembled at the most convenient railroad centres in their respective congressional districts.  I detailed officers to muster in a portion of them, but mustered three in the southern part of the State myself.  One of these was to assemble at Belleville, some eighteen miles south-east of St. Louis.  When I got there I found that only one or two companies had arrived.  There was no probability of the regiment coming together under five days.  This gave me a few idle days which I concluded to spend in St. Louis.

There was a considerable force of State militia at Camp Jackson, on the outskirts of St. Louis, at the time.  There is but little doubt that it was the design of Governor Claiborn Jackson to have these troops ready to seize the United States arsenal and the city of St. Louis.  Why they did not do so I do not know.  There was but a small garrison, two companies I think, under Captain N. Lyon at the arsenal, and but for the timely services of the Hon. F. P. Blair, I have little doubt that St. Louis would have gone into rebel hands, and with it the arsenal with all its arms and ammunition.

Blair was a leader among the Union men of St. Louis in 1861.  There was no State government in Missouri at the time that would sanction the raising of troops or commissioned officers to protect United States property, but Blair had probably procured some form of authority from the President to raise troops in Missouri and to muster them into the service of the United States.  At all events, he did raise a regiment and took command himself as Colonel.  With this force he reported to Captain Lyon and placed himself and regiment under his orders.  It was whispered that Lyon thus reinforced intended to break up Camp Jackson and capture the militia.  I went down to the arsenal in the morning to see the troops start out.  I had known Lyon for two years at West Point and in the old army afterwards.  Blair I knew very well by sight.  I had heard him speak in the canvass of 1858, possibly several times, but I had never spoken to him.  As the troops marched out of the enclosure around the arsenal, Blair was on his horse outside forming them into line preparatory to their march.  I introduced myself to him and had a few moments’ conversation and expressed my sympathy with his purpose.  This was my first personal acquaintance with the Honorable—­afterwards Major-General F. P. Blair.  Camp Jackson surrendered without a fight and the garrison was marched down to the arsenal as prisoners of war.